


never to sleep without you

by cassanabaratheon



Category: Poldark (TV 2015), Poldark - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-12-17 22:17:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11860740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassanabaratheon/pseuds/cassanabaratheon
Summary: She woke with a small jolt; a subconscious niggling alerting her to the fact that she was still very much alone in bed.





	never to sleep without you

**Author's Note:**

> for the Elizabeth Poldark Appreciation Week - day 5.
> 
> Sort of s3+ I guess but it doesn't follow the show.

She waited up for him after settling Valentine down for the night but not after he had asked for his Papa almost incessantly.

“I know, my love,” she soothed, gently stroking his hair. “I wish him home, too.”

Late nights and days away at a time, she did not like the snatched moments that they had had recently and she knew George disliked it as much also but, for the moment, business took a higher priority, things she didn’t know about exactly but understood that her husband had to sort out.

She had been expecting him home that evening and had settled down in the main sitting room in front of the fire, occupied by her needlework. But it was not long before her eyes drifted every so often to the clock on the mantle and unease crept upon her more and more as the hands of clock moved past and well into the night and he had still yet to return. Her mind kept going back to that terrible night when Francis hadn’t... She forced herself not to think such painful and fearful thoughts and almost viciously stabbed her needle through the fabric making, she accepted, mistakes that she would just have to unpick the following day.

At last, just gone midnight, she was rewarded with the click-clack sound of hooves and the roll of carriage wheels. There was much relief when she saw him step into the sitting room and her smile was as much that as it was in welcome. There was a heavy exhaustion upon him, she noted as she crossed the floor towards him, taking his hand into her own.

“Elizabeth,” he said softly, warmed by her presence but also perplexed at her being up at this late hour. “You should not have waited.”

“Then I would be a poor wife,” she countered, gently brushing her fingers over his cheek and he gave her a conceding and tired smile. “Valentine asked for you all evening. We miss you,” she murmured.

His heart squeezed in his chest at her words and he pressed a kiss to her fingers in answer.

He did not, however, follow her upstairs as she had hoped. She sighed internally with understanding when he told her he had but to look over a few things and would join her shortly, and she gave a small kiss to his cheek, murmuring to him that she would wait for him, warmth colouring her voice and he ducked his head a little, hiding a pleased smile.  

In her room,  _their_ , room she undressed, combed out her hair and braided it as she climbed into bed, wiggling down under the covers and waited. And she waited, and waited… till it must have been then that sleep took her for a short while.

She woke with a small jolt; a subconscious niggling alerting her to the fact that she was still very much alone in bed. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness about the room, a small fraction of dim light coming in from a parting in the drapes, made her aware that it was perhaps nearing dawn. Her hand slid over into the empty space, the sheet cool to her touch and her brow creased both in confusion and displeasure. Slipping out of bed, she shuddered a little at contact of her feet on the cold floor before she put on her slippers and tugged on her dressing gown. Quietly, she made her way downstairs, navigating the way in the gloomy grey light, going towards the room where she knew she would find him.

Stepping into the study, the few candles that he had lit on his desk were burning low and he must have decided against a fire, perhaps thinking he would not be long, so there was a chill in the air.  “George?” she said quietly, even though she expected no answer from the slumbering man behind the desk.

She judged that he must have sat back for a moment, perhaps to flex his fingers from where they held the quill or to remove his cravat as he had, maybe tipping his head back against the chair and closing his eyes just for a moment only to succumb to exhaustion. Her smile was fond as she moved towards him around the desk, brushing back a stray curl of hair, her eyes darting down to the open length of his throat but her smile faded as she then regarded the way his head was tilted. It looked uncomfortable and no doubt with the coolness of the room, he would wake up to a stiff neck and she grimaced. She leaned over and pressed her lips against his temple, calling his name gently, her hand braced on his upper arm, shaking just a little.

He came to with a small jerk and she moved back, apologetic when he winced at the ache upon moving his head too fast.

“Elizabeth?” he murmured, peering up at her with a puzzled expression flitting across his face as he stretched his limbs and rubbed the back of his neck.

“You fell asleep, my dear,” she told him gently. “It is not yet dawn.”

His brow furrowed further as he regarded her. “My dear, why are you-”

“I too fell asleep, waiting for you,” she added with a tiny, teasing smile to show she was not angry with him and he had the grace to look a little sheepish at that. Carefully, she seated herself onto his lap, one arm winding up around his shoulders and the other splayed on his chest, running her fingers over the buttons of his waistcoat. His hands moved instinctively to her waist under her dressing gown and she could feel the heat of his palms through the thin fabric of her nightgown. “I miss having my husband in my bed.”

Her bold words had the desired effect. His eyes darted up then, searching hers and she marvelled still at his surprise and delight at her want for him. Her fingers now brushed the open section of skin at the base of throat where the collar was open and she felt him swallow.

“You shouldn’t tire yourself, Elizabeth,” he said, voice quiet and full of emotion.

She sighed softly.

“And neither should you, George.” She reached up and brushed her thumb lightly over his cheek. There was a slight roughness of stubble as she stroked his chin and jaw. It was a simple gesture of affection and one that caused a look of pure bliss upon his face at it. He turned his head to press a kiss into her palm and Elizabeth’s heart gave a small flutter.

“Come to bed, my love,” she eased off him, taking his hand and he willingly followed when she led him up.

His blissful sigh once his head hit the soft pillow made her smile, his eyes already drifting shut as she snuggled closer, resting against his chest and his arm wrapped around her, both soon falling into a peaceful slumber together.


End file.
